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Following Boer settlement in the area, Ladybrand
was one of the frontier towns established by the
Voortrekkers to protect the ‘conquered territories’
taken from the
Basotho in the war of 1865.
Ladybrand began in 1869 as a cave church in
which the Anglican Society conducted services.
Ladybrand was named after Lady Catharina Brand,
wife of
Sir
Christoffel Brand, first speaker of the Cape
legislative assembly, and mother of Johannes Brand,
fourth President of the Orange Free State.
In March 1900 during the Anglo-Boer war (1899-1902) the
British occupied Ladybrand. They were
soon defeated by a Boer Commando and the siege of
the town was lifted within a matter of days.
Ladybrand is known as the "Gateway to a
Kingdom" as it is the main thoroughfare to
Lesotho and its capitol Maseru.
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The town falls within the Mantsopa
Municipal District which is renowned for its
sandstone mountains with scenic beauty.
Today Ladybrand offers tourists spectacular
mountain scenery and a good base from which to visit
the Golden Gate
Highlands National Park and the Eastern
Highlands.
The sandstone caves have proof of
ancient civilizations and dinosaurs that
roamed the valley having left their
footprints in the sandstone. The many places
of paleontological and archaeological
significance dating back millions of years
enthralling all who visit them.
The area is replete with stone age
implements. Most mountains in the area are
capped with sandstone cliffs, where many
caves have been found adorned with San
paintings. In 1934 the fossilised remains of
Diathrognatus (then thought to be the
evolutionary link between reptiles and
mammals) was found close to Ladybrand.
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